1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a product delivering device and a product delivering method of an automatic vending machine for delivering a product located at the lowest position out of a plurality of products accommodated in a product column in a downward direction at the time of selling the product in the state in which the products placed in a horizontal direction are stacked in a vertical direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in vending machines in which products such as canned drink products, PET bottle products are accommodated in a column (a product passage) in the state in which the products placed in a horizontal direction are stacked in a vertical direction, there is provided a product delivering device for delivering the product located at the lowest position in a downward direction at the time of selling the product out of the plurality of products accommodated in the lower end portion of the column. For example, such product delivering device comprises a stopper for supporting from the lower side the product to be sold next located immediately on the product to be sold at the time of selling the product while supporting from the lower side the product to be sold, and relieving the support of the product to be sold immediately after supporting the product to be sold next, and a solenoid for driving the stopper in this manner.
The column is defined with two passage walls having mutually a space and extending in a vertical direction. The product to be sold and the product to be sold next are supported with the stopper provided on one of the passage walls and the other passage wall so that the products are held in the column. This stopper is constituted in such a manner that the stopper is projected and recessed into the column by the rotation to support the product to be sold and the product to be sold next at the time of projecting into the column while, at the same time, the distance with one of the passage walls (hereinafter referred to as a passage width) can be set at a plurality of stages. Consequently, with the product delivering device having such stopper, the passage width can be increased and decreased in accordance with the size of the products to be sold so that products having various sizes can be delivered.
In the above product delivering device, a problem in that it is troublesome to set the stopper though it is possible to deliver products having various sizes. That is, in the case where the passage width is either decreased or increased in accordance with the products to be sold, the operator who accommodates the products must manually set the stopper itself at a desired position in accordance with the size of the products to be sold. in particular, in the case where a plurality of columns are arranged in a forward and a backward direction, the operator must extend his hand deep inside of the column at the time of setting the stopper of the column at the rear side, and his work becomes very troublesome. Furthermore, in order to appropriately deliver products having approximately a square configuration, and soft PET bottle products, it is necessary to appropriately attach an adapter and the work of attaching the adapter is also troublesome. On the contrary, in the case where the adapter becomes unnecessary along with the change in the product to be sold, the adapter must be detached from the stopper, and in addition, it is also troublesome to conserve and control the adapter after the detachment.
Furthermore, in the case where products having different sizes are accommodated in one column either by error or on purpose, products having large sizes are stuck in the product delivering device when the passage width is set to the size of products having smaller size with the result that a deliver error is generated. On the other hand, in the case where the passage width is set to the size of products having larger sizes, products having smaller sizes are delivered together with products having larger sizes with the result that there is a fear that larger number of products than necessary are delivered and sold.
Furthermore, in the method for relieving the support of the products immediately after supporting the product to be sold next while supporting with the stopper the product to be sold next located immediately on the product to be sold, it is necessary to prepare stoppers having sizes and configurations which conform to the configurations of the products to be handled such as the canned drink products and PET bottle products with the result that there is a problem in that the change of the products cannot be made easily because there arises a trouble of exchanging the stopper at the time of changing the products.
The present invention has been achieved with a view of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a product delivering device and a product delivering method of an automatic vending machine, the device and the method being capable of delivering only product to be sold with certitude at the time of selling the product irrespective of the size and the configuration of the product to be sold.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a product delivering device of an automatic vending machine comprises: a stopper which projects into a product passage to support a product to be sold; an ejector which projects into the product passage to support a product to be sold next after the product to be sold; and control means for controlling a projection quantity to the product passage of the ejector; wherein the control means allows the ejector to project into the product passage to support product to be sold next upon receipt of a sales instruction, and at the same time, opens the stopper to deliver the product to be sold from the product passage to deliver the product to be sold from the product passage to the sales port thereby closing the product passage with the stopper after the delivery of the product to be sold while supplying the product to be sold next on the stopper by allowing the ejector to be recessed.
A second aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the first aspect wherein the ejector projects into the product passage in the projection quantity in accordance with the size of the product to be sold accommodated in the product passage.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the first aspect comprises: a stopper which projects into a product passage to support a product to be sold: an ejector which projects into the product passage to support a product to be sold next after the product to be sold; and drive means having a drive shaft for driving the stopper and the ejector with the movement into an axial direction on the basis of the rotation movement; wherein the drive means drives the stopper and the ejector to deliver the product to be sold to a sales port by constraining the product to be sold next after the product to be sold by the rotation of the driving shaft in a first direction, moves the stopper to the sales waiting position by rotating the driving shaft in a second direction and, at the same time, driving the stopper and the ejector so as to supply the product to be sold next to the sales waiting position from the product passage.
A fourth aspect of the invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the third aspect wherein the stopper has a drive portion rotatably supported on a fixed system via a rotation shaft to receive a drive force from the drive means, and a rotation member formed of an opening and closing portion for opening and closing a product passage on the basis of the drive force.
A fifth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the third aspect wherein the ejector has a plate-like member which projects in an inclined manner into a product passage on the basis of the driving of the drive means, and a guide groove for guiding both ends of the plate-like member.
A sixth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the third aspect wherein the drive means has a drive motor which generates a rotation force for rotating the drive shaft in a first or a second direction, a first screw portion provided on the drive shaft for converting the rotation force into a to and fro movement into an axial direction of the drive shaft, a second screw portion engaging with the first screw portion and a joint portion engaged with the ejector to be supported on the drive shaft in such a manner that the joint portion can be moved to and fro.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a product delivering device of an automatic vending machine for delivering a product located at the lowest position out of a plurality of products accommodated in a product passage in a downward direction at the time of selling the product in the state in which the plurality of products placed in a horizontal direction are stacked in a vertical direction, the device comprising: opening and closing means of the product passage movable between a closed position for closing the product passage so as to inhibit the delivery of the product to be sold, and an open position for opening the product passage so as to allow the delivery of the product, the means being capable of being driven toward the open position from the closed position with the weight of the product to be sold; allowing means for allowing the downward movement of the product to be sold located immediately on the product to be sold; means for supporting the product to be sold next movable between the allowing position for allowing the movement of the product to be sold next located immediately on the product to be sold and an inhibiting position for inhibiting the downward movement of the product to be sold next by supporting the product to be sold next in collaboration with the passage wall located opposite to the product passage, the inhibiting position being defined in contact with the upper a portion of the product to be sold; drive means for driving the means for supporting the product to be sold next between the inhibiting position and the allowing position; locking means for locking the product opening and closing means to the closed position; and a first unlocking means for unlocking the lock of the opening and closing means of the product passage by the locking means when the means for supporting the product to be sold next moves to the inhibiting position at the time of selling the product.
In this structure, the product to be sold is accommodated in the product passage in the state in which the delivery of the product is inhibited with the opening and closing means of the product passage locked at the above closed position with the locking means. At the time of selling the product, the means for supporting the product to be sold next moves from the allowed position to the product to be sold to come into contact with the above inhibiting position, namely, when the means for supporting the product to be sold next, the lock of the opening and closing means of the product passage means is driven from the closed position to the open position with the weight of the product to be sold with the result that the product to be sold is delivered from the product passage. on the other hand, the means for supporting the product to be sold next supports the product to be sold next in collaboration with the passage wall, so that only the product to be sold is delivered. In this case, the inhibiting position of the means for supporting the product to be sold next is defined by the product to be sold next coming into contact with the product to be sold next with the result that the inhibiting position is automatically and steplessly set in accordance with thee size and the configuration of the product. Consequently, in the above structure, only the product to be sold can be delivered at the time of selling the product irrespective of the size and the configuration of the product to be sold with the result that the flexibility of the product delivering device with respect to the product to be sold can be heightened.
An eighth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the seventh aspect wherein a projection portion having a height projecting to a predetermined length is provided on the passage wall, the height being approximately the same as the height at which the means for supporting the product to be sold next supports the product to be sold next.
In this structure, even when the product to be sold accommodated in the product passage has a square-shaped cross section and has four chambered corners as in the case of square-shaped bottles, the means for supporting the product to be sold next comes into contact with the chambered portion on the upper side of the product to be sold, and the two chambered portions on the lower side of the product to be sold can be supported with the means for supporting the product to be sold next and the projection portion. Consequently, with respect to not only canned drink products and PET bottle product having a circular cross section but also square-shaped PET products, only product to be sold can be delivered one by one with certitude without delivering a plurality of products at one time so that the flexability of the product delivering device can be further heightened.
A ninth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the seventh aspect or the eighth aspect wherein the opening and closing means of the product passage comprises: an opening and closing member which rotates on the base end portion between the closed position and the open position, the member having a long hole-like through hole extending in parallel with the rotation axial line and having a cross section extending in radial direction with respect to the center of the rotation; and a pair of guide portions provided opposite to each other with the opening and closing means located therebetween and extending in arc-like configuration centering on the rotation axis for guiding the opening and closing member between the closed position and the open position; and the locking means has a lock shaft being inserted loosely into the through hole of the opening and closing means, and, at the same time, having both end portions projecting to the outside engaging the pair of guide portions respectively, the lock shaft being slidable in a direction of the through hole when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position, an anchor portion provided respectively on the pair of guide portions so as to be projected in a radial direction with respect to the center of rotation to anchor the lock shaft, and a lock mechanism for locking the lock shaft into the anchor portion.
In this structure. the opening and closing means of the product passage rotates centering on the base end portion while being guided to the pair of guide portions via the lock shaft.
As a consequence, the opening and closing member smoothly rotates between the closed position and the open position at the time of selling the product so that the product to be sold can be delivered with certitude. Furthermore, when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position, the lock shaft anchors the anchor portion by sliding through the through hole of the opening and closing member in a long hole direction with the result that the lock shaft is locked in the anchor portion with the lock mechanism. That is, the lock shaft is double locked to the anchor portion with the lock mechanism. Thus, the detachment of the lock shaft from the anchor portion of the guide portions by the collision to the opening and closing member because of the coming down of the product at the time of refilling of the product or by tampering can be prevented with certitude and the lock of the opening and closing member at the closed position can be held with certitude.
A tenth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device according to the ninth aspect wherein through hole of the opening and closing member is provided on the end portion of the opening and closing member.
In this structure, since the opening and closing member can be locked at the end portion thereof via the lock shaft which is inserted into the through hole loosely, the moment acting on the opening and closing member with the weight of the product to be sold can be minimized as compared with the case in which the opening and closing member is locked at a position close to the base end portion. Thus, the opening and closing member at the closed position can be locked with certitude in a stable state.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the ninth or the tenth aspect wherein the lock mechanism is arranged between a pair of guide portions.
In this structure, since the lock mechanism is arranged between the pair of guide portions, the width of the product delivering device in the direction of the rotation axis of the opening and closing member, namely, the width of the product delivering device in the right and the left direction of the automatic vending machine can be reduced. As a consequence, the product delivering device can be constituted in a compact size, the device can be provided in a limited space and the width of the automatic vending machine in the right and the left direction can be reduced.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to either the ninth aspect or the eleventh a aspect wherein the lock member comprises: a slide member attached with the lock shaft and constituted slidably between the lock position at which the lock shaft anchors the anchor portion of the pair of guide portions, and the unlock position at which the lock shaft is detached from the anchor portion; the slide member having an engaging portion; and a lock member detachably constituted in the engaging portion of the slide member to lock the slide member at the lock position by engaging the engaging portion of the slide member when the slide member is located at the lock position.
In this structure, when the slide member slidable between the lock position and the lock relief position is located at the lock position, the slide member is locked at the lock position by the engagement of the lock member into the engaging portion of the slide member. With such slide member and the lock member, the lock mechanism can be easily realized for double locking the opening and closing member located at the closed position.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the twelfth aspect wherein the lock member is constituted rotatably between the engaging position for engaging the engaging portion of the slide member, and the detachment position for detaching from the engaging portion, and a pressing portion for sliding the slide member from the lock position to the unlock position by pressing the slide member when the lock member is rotated from the engaging position to the detachment position.
In this structure, when the lock member located at the engaging position is rotated toward the detachment position, the slide member is pressed with the pressing portion of the slide member with the result that the slide member slides from the lock position to the unlock position. Consequently, the lock shaft is detached from the anchor portion of the guide portion, so that the lock of the opening and closing member at the closed position by the lock shaft can be unlocked. Thus, with a single lock member, both the locking and the unlocking of the opening and closing member at the closed position with the lock shaft can be conducted.
A fourteenth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the thirteenth aspect wherein the lock mechanism has a first energizing means for energizing the lock member to be rotated from the detachment position to the engaging position, so that the lock member is rotated from the open position to the closed position by pressing the opening and closing member when the opening and closing member is located at the open position and is rotated from the detachment position to the engaging position with the first energizing means.
In this structure, the opening and closing member which is rotated from the closed position to the open position with the weight of the product to be sold is pressed against the lock member by the rotation of the lock member located at the detachment position from the detachment position from the detachment position to the engaging position with the first energizing means, so that the lock member is pressed thereby rotating the lock member from the open position to the closed position. Consequently, the opening and closing member which is rotated to the open position can be brought back to the closed position with certitude with the lock member. On the other hand, the lock of the opening and closing member at the closed position is unlocked, the energizing force of the first energizing means ceases to be transmitted to the opening and closing member because the lock member is set to the state in which the lock member is not in contact with the opening and closing member. Therefore, when the lock of the opening and closing member at the closed position is unlocked, the opening and closing member can be easily rotated with the weight of the product to be sold even when the product to be sold is light so that the product to be sold can be delivered with certitude.
A fifteenth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the thirteenth and the fourteenth aspect wherein means for supporting the product to be sold next has a member for supporting the product to be sold next, the member being constituted slidably between the allowing position and the inhibiting position and a connection portion having a female screw and being movable in a vertical direction for connecting the means for supporting the product to be sold next to the drive means; and the drive means has a drive source and a drive shaft having a male screw on the surface thereof which is constituted in such a manner that the drive shaft extends in a vertical direction and is movably provided in a vertical direction to be rotated and driven in a predetermined direction around an axial line with a drive source with the result that the drive shaft moves the member for supporting the product to be sold next toward the inhibiting position around an axial line with the drive source via a connection member which moves in a downward direction, and the drive shaft is further rotated and moved in a predetermined direction with the drive source after the means for supporting the product to be sold next comes into contact with the product to be sold so that the drive shaft is moved in an upward direction; wherein the first unlocking means has an unlocking member provided on the lower end of the drive shaft, and at the same time, connected to the lock member, and rotates the lock member from the engaging position to the detachment position along with an upward movement of the drive shaft.
In this structure, since the member for supporting the product to be sold next of the means for supporting the product to be sold next is connected to the drive shaft having a male screw which engages the female screw, this drive shaft is rotated and driven around the axial line with the drive source at the time of selling the product. Then, the connection member moves in a vertical direction with the result that the product to be sold next slides between the allowing position and the inhibiting position. When the drive shaft is rotated and driven in a predetermined direction at the time of selling the product, the connection member moves in a downward direction so that the member for supporting the product to be sold next slides toward the inhibiting position along with this. When the product to be sold next comes into contact with the product to be sold next, the member for supporting the product to be sold next is suspended because the member cannot be slided any more. Along with this, the connection member which has moved in a downward direction is also suspended. After the member for supporting the product to be sold next has come into contact with the product to be sold next, the drive shaft moves in an upward direction with respect to the suspended connection member. After the member for supporting the product to be sold next comes into contact with the product to be sold next, the drive shaft moves in an upward direction. Along with this, the first unlocking member provided on the lower end portion of the drive shaft is rotated toward from the engaging position to the detachment position.
Consequently, the product delivering device can be easily realized for unlocking the opening and closing means of the product passage when the means for supporting the product to be sold next comes into contact with the means for supporting the product to be sold next with the drive means and the first unlocking means.
A sixteenth aspect of the present invention provides the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to the fifteenth aspect where in the drive means further has a second energizing means for energizing the drive shaft in a downward direction, wherein the second energizing means is further rotated and driven in a predetermined direction with the drive force after the member for supporting the product to be sold next comes into contact with the sales product so that the second energizing means is compressed or pulled with the drive shaft which moves in an upward direction and the product to be sold is delivered with the result that the drive shaft is driven in a downward direction with a return force when the contact of the product to be sold with the member for supporting the product to be sold next is released.
In this structure, when the drive shaft is further rotated and driven in the predetermined direction after the member for supporting the product to be sold next comes into contact with the sales product to reach the inhibiting position, the drive shaft moves upward when the drive shaft is further rotated and driven in the predetermined direction with the result that the second energizing means is compressed and pulled. Then the sales product is delivered so that the drive shaft is driven downward with the return force of the second energizing means at the same time when the contact of the member for supporting the product to be sold next to the sales product is released. Then, the connection member connected to the drive shaft moves in a downward direction so that the member for supporting the product to be sold next further slides toward the side of the passage wall over the inhibition position. Consequently, for example, in the case here products having different sizes are accommodated in the product passage either by mistake or on purpose, the product to be sold next can be supported by the sliding of the member for supporting the product to be sold next toward the side of the passage wall over the inhibiting position. As a consequence, even in the above case, only the product to be sold is delivered thereby preventing the delivery and selling of larger number of products.
According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the product delivering device of the automatic vending machine according to a seventh through sixteenth aspect further comprises: instruction means which is operated for instructing the delivering of all the product accommodated in the product passage at one time; and second unlocking means for unlocking the opening and closing means of the locking means.
In this structure, when the above instruction means is operated by the operator who refills the products in the automatic vending machine, the opening and closing means of the product passage by the locking means in unlocked with the second unlocking means. Consequently, in the case where a plurality of products are accommodated in the product passage, and the products are exchanged by other products, all the products accommodated in the product passage can be delivered at one time in a package by the operation of the instruction means with the result that the exchange work of the products can be conducted in a short time.
According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the method for delivering the products in the vending machine comprises: accommodating product to be sold in the product passage; and delivering the product to be sold in the state in which the product to be sold next which is to be sold immediately after the product to be sold is supported in the product passage.